Piezo electrically ignited lighter

ABSTRACT

The lighter housing encloses therein a piezo electric crystal and an impact hammer which, when the crystal is struck, causes the crystal to generate an electrical pulse which provides the spark to ignite the lighter. The impact hammer is operated by a pivoted lever, engaged on one side by a manually operable slider, the other side engaging a striker mechanism which compresses a spring which, when suitably compressed, then releases the impact hammer to strike the crystal. The pivoted two-arm lever has a longer arm engaged by the operating slider, to provide for high compressive force of the spring; the operating mechanism includes a camming arrangement to open a gas valve for a gas operated lighter.

[451 Jan. 1,1974

Primary ExaminerEdward G. Favors Attorney-Robert D. Flynn et al.

[57] ABSTRACT The lighter housing encloses therein a piezo electriccrystal and an impact hammer which, when the crystal is struck, causesthe crystal to generate an electrical pulse which provides the spark toignite the lighter. The impact hammer is operated by a pivoted lever,engaged on one side by a manually operable slider, the other sideengaging a striker mechanism which com- Peter Weissmann, Burg Farrnbach,Germany Filed: Aug. 22, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 282,771

Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 27, 1971Switzerland......,................

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United States Patent [1 1 Weissmann [54] PIEZO ELECTRICALLY IGNITEDLIGHTER [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Consul GmbH, Nurnberg, Germany [51] Int.

a gas operated lighter.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 3,136,355 6/1964 Weber 3,580,698 5/1971FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1.158.720 7/1969 GreatBritain......................

PATENIEBJAN 1 I914 NQI Pm in N PIEZO ELECTRICALLY IGNITED LIGHTER Thepresent invention relates to a lighter, and more particularly to alighter with electric spark ignition, the electric ignition beingobtained from a piezo electric voltage generator.

Lighters in which a piezo electric crystal, or the like is struck by animpact hammer or striker are relatively complex since the operating ortransfer elements be tween the manually operated button, or the like, toignite the lighter and the piezo electric element may becomecomplicated. The piezo electric element must be struck with a relativelyhigh impact force in order to obtain the required high energy togenerate a spark to ignite the lighter fluid. These transfer elementsare subject to malfunction.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple piezoelectric lighter arrangement in which the transfer mechanism between amanually operated button, or the like, and the piezo electric element issimple and capable of transmitting sufficient force for reliableignition.

SUBJECT MATTER OF THE PRESENT INVENTION Briefly, the manually operateddevice is a slider button, sliding, preferably transversely, of thehousing for the lighter. Upon operation of the slider, a lever is movedwhich has unequal arms, the longer arm being moved by the slider, andthe shorter arm stressing a spring which, when suitably compressed, andis released in sear-like fashion so that an impact element can strikethe piezo electric device.

In a preferred form, the lever is a double-arm lever, directly engagedby the slider. A re-set or idle spring holds both the lever and theslider in rest position.

The construction is particularly simplified when the slider is arrangedat the wider side of an essentially rectangular housing, movabletransversely to the wider or broad side of the housing, to provide forlong slider travel. The impact device may then travel approximatelyparallel to the path of the slider itself. This arrangement permitsconstruction of a simple operating mechanism, for table lighters as wellas for pocket lighters, which is readily capable of providing therequired energy to operate the piezo electric pulse generator without,however, requiring substantial operating force on part of the user.

The invention will be described by way of example with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a highly schematic view of the lighter in fragmentarylongitudinal cross-section;

FIG. 2 is another view of the lighter similar to FIG. 1, with the slidermoved into operating position;

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the lighter of FIGS. 1and 2, partly in cross section, and illustrating a modification of thelighter fluid valving arrangement.

The housing 1 of the slider has at the upper portion thereof an axiallymovable burner nozzle 2; the nozzle 2 can be lifted from a rest positionshown in FIG. 1 to a slightly elevated position, at which point gasstored within the inside of the lighter in a suitable container (notshown) is being supplied to nozzle 2. Nozzle 2 is operated by a nozzlelift plate 3. At the bottom of the slider, a voltage generator assemblyis provided which includes a piezo element 20 which provides thenecessary ignition energy to provide a spark to ignite a stream of gasemanating from nozzle 2, as schematically indicated by the spark arrowin FIG. 2. A spring tension arrangement including a tension slider 4cooperates with the piezo element 20. Tension slider 4 can be moved indirection of the arrow 5. Upon such movement, a spring 24 is compressedwhich moves an impact hammer 21 to the left (compare FIGS. 1 and 2). Ata terminal movement point of slider 4, impact hammer l is released insear-like fashion (for example by slightly tipping slider 4 so that aterminal hook will be depressed and freed from engagement with impacthammer 21). Impact hammer 21, under force of spring 24 impinges againstthe piezo element 20. Due to the deformation of the piezo element 20,electrical energy is delivered thereby which is supplied over a line 22to a sparking tip; a spark will be generated between the sparking tip atthe terminal end of line 22 and the nozzle 2, the electrical return pathbeing over the housing of the lighter and a line 22'. After the impacthammer 21 has been released, a re-set spring 23 returns operatingelement 4 to its original position. Arrow 21' illustrates movement ofthe impact hammer 21 when spring 24 is stressed and arrow 21"illustrates the return, or striking movement of impact element 21.

The operating element 4 is moved by moving a slider 8, which engages adouble-armed lever 6 of unequal lever arm length. Lever arm 6 is pivotedabout a shaft 7 (FIG. 3) located close to the piezo element 20. Shaft 7is pivotally retained by suitable means, not shown, within thehousing 1. The short arm of the lever 6 engages the tension and searassembly 4 by means of a transverse bolt 25 (FIG. 3). The longer arm oflever 6 is engaged by slider 8 which extends laterally of the side wall9 of the lighter 1, for manual operation. Slider 8 is movable indirection of the arrow 10 (FIG. 1) and guided for lateral movement onthe housing by means, not shown, for example interengaging grooves andnotches, a T-slot, or the like. Slider 8, upon being moved in thedirection of arrow ll) (FIG. 1) will push the longer lever arm 6 inclockwise direction, thus causing the tension element 4 to be moved indirection of arrow 5, eventually causing release of the impact element21 and ignition, as schematically indicated by the electrical arrow inFIG. 2.

Upon lateral movement of the slider 8 in the direction of the arrow 10,FIG. 1, a camming pin 11, transversely located on the lever arm 6 liftsthe nozzle plate 3 to lift the nozzle from a completely sealing seatedposition (FIG. 1) into the slightly lifted, open position of FIG. 2,thus releasing gaseous fluid through the nozzle 2 for ignition. The pathof the slider 8 is essentially parallel to the path of movement ofstriker or impact element 21; the lever, however, travels in a slightlyarcuate path to cam the nozzle lifting plate 3 into open position. FIG.3 shows a different arrangement, in which the slider 8, itself, has aninwardly projecting pin which is slightly tapered. Upon movement ofslider 8, the taper schematically shown at 32 on the inwardly extendingcam 31 will engage under the nozzle lifting bar 3, more and more toeffect opening movement of the nozzle 2.

After the flame is no longer needed, slider 8 can be released. Spring 23will thereupon retu'rn operating element 4 for the piezo element 20,simultaneously causing re-setting of the lever 6 in counter-clockwisedirection, and with it re-setting of slider 8 in the position shown inFIG. 1. Simultaneously, the nozzle lifting bar 3 is unloaded so that theburner nozzle 2 can return into valve shut-off position, for exampleunder force of a small spring, not shown.

Various changes and modifications may be made within the inventiveconcept. Thus, the arrangement of FIG. 3 in which an inwardly extendingcam 31, with a camming surface 32 directly lifts the valve lifting bar 3is a suitable modification. Additional re-set springs may be provided,or the re-set spring 23 can be located to act on either the slider 8, orthe lever 6, or additional springs may be independently provided. Theslider 8 can also be so arranged that it can be locked in an openposition, that is, in the position of the slider shown in FIG. 2, forexample by slight inward pressure on the slider on one side or theother, release being by counter inward pressure, to lock and unlock theslider in predetermined position. For some apparatus it may be desirableto provide a slider lock in the position shown in FIG. 1 to preventspurious deflection, even against the force of spring 23 as well asspring 24. Other changes and modifications may be made within theinventive concept.

I claim:

1. A piezoelectric, liquified gas-fueled lighter comprising a housing;

a lever pivoted intermediate its length at said housing to provide twounequal lever arms;

a manually operable slider located at one side face of said housing anddirectly abutting the longer arm of said lever;

a high voltage generation unit comprising piezoelectric means located insaid housing;

an impact means cooperating with the piezoelectric means, said impactmeans being movable by the shorter arm of said lever;

a nozzle means and a valve means for on-off control of gas flow to saidnozzle means;

an actuating means for said valve means;

and a cam means on said longer arm of said lever,

said cam means being in sliding contact with said actuating means forsaid valve means.

2. A lighter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said actuating means is alift plate, which is in continuous contact with said cam means and islocated substantially parallel to the path of movement of said cammeans.

3. Lighter according to claim 1, further comprising a re-set spring (23)retaining the lever, and the manually operable means (8) in re-setposition.

4. Lighter according to claim 1, wherein the housing is rectangular andthe slider (8) is located at a wider side of the housing and movable toslide across the housing.

5. Lighter according to claim 1, wherein the path of movement of themanually operable means and the path of movement of the impact means aresubstantially parallel to each other.

1. A piezoelectric, liquified gas-fueled lighter comprising a housing; alever pivoted intermediate its length at said housing to provide twounequal lever arms; a manually operable slider located at one side faceof said housing and directly abutting the longer arm of said lever; ahigh voltage generation unit comprising piezoelectric means located insaid housing; an impact means cooperating with the piezoelectric means,said impact means being movable by the shorter arm of said lever; anozzle means and a valve means for on-off control of gas flow to saidnozzle means; an actuating means for said valve means; and a cam meanson said longer arm of said lever, said cam means being in slidingcontact with said actuating means for said valve means.
 2. A lighter asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said actuating means is a lift plate, whichis in continuous contact with said cam means and is locatedsubstantially parallel to the path of movement of said cam means. 3.Lighter according to claim 1, further comprising a re-set spring (23)retaining the lever, and the manually operable means (8) in re-setposition.
 4. Lighter according to claim 1, wherein the housing isrectangular and the slider (8) is located at a wider side of the housingand movable to slide across the housing.
 5. Lighter according to claim1, wherein the path of movement of the manually operable means and thepath of movement of the impact means are substantially parallel to eachother.